Returnable beverage case

ABSTRACT

A returnable beverage case is disclosed which is folded into its final configuration from a single flat blank of material. The folding sequence takes place in such a manner that the resultant case comprises triple thick walls, double thick side walls and a triple thick bottom to produce a case having increased strength and an improved resistance to the wicking of moisture into the bottom edges of the case.

[ Oct. 29, 1974 3,001,685 9/1961 Blount......... 229/34 R 229/37 R RETURNABLE BEVERAGE CASE 3,310,221 3/1967 Duncan. 3,667,666 6/1972 Inventor: Kenneth M. Whelan, Meriden,

Conn.

[ 1 Assigneer Westvaw Corporation, New York, Primary Examiner-Leonard D. Christian ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Sept. 6, 1973 mmk nmm mm mmu mm h wmW n nd a m e ama g S t w .mewdr. COC nC .mn m m d wa m W n cfl .mf .mh mmm ma .1 .1 6 mmmnmm w ek m a hh s u htt y m ymmwm m wmm m ov kilw d o b a ,Dir. am m mm o m m.mclma .1 m a m ACek ko r. nh t l iackmm Ammwi iba Rfi A 7 6 7 mu 9 2 R 6 ,B R .31 M X U 1. m m? z NR 7 mumnna u "9 H2 4 m 3 mu" 3 u m u M In Ur 3 mua e 0 "a N In c 0 L C p .II D. Smk A UIF H HUN 2 555 into the bottom edges of the case.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 2,418,963 Anderson, 229/37 R PATENTEBnmzs 1am SHEET M? 3 RETURNABLE BEVERAGE CASE BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a storage and shipping container that is folded into its container configuration from a one piece blank of material such as corrugated paperboard. More particularly, the invention relates to a container having advantageous use i in the handling and shipping of heavy articles where the container is preferably reused. In addition, the container of the present invention must be sturdy to permit stacking without breaking or bulging the side walls and it must be water and weather resistant particularly for outside storage.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a shipping and storage container particularly for use as a returnable beverage case which is especially strong and durable and can withstand a substantial compressive load without crushing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a returnable beverage case of improved design that has two ply thick side walls, three ply thick end walls and three ply thick bottom walls when set up, to satisfy the requirements of reusability, durability and compressive strength.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a blank of material that is cut and scored in such a manner that the blank can be folded and set up in final form without stitching to provide a container wherein the bottom has no exposed edges into which water might penetrate to weaken the container.

These and other objects will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a careful consideration of the appended specification, drawing and claims.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a returnable beverage case for soda or beer, but could be used for shipping and storing any other heavy articles where the container would be subjected to heavy compressive stacking loads and to the deteriorating effects of weather. In particular, the container of the present invention is intended as an improved version of the foldable storage box described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,418,963 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,666. The containers disclosed in the aforementioned patents, and other similar con tainers used in the returnable beverage case industry, each have triple thick end walls and double thick side walls. However, the bottom walls of the containers used previously have always been constructed with only two thicknesses of material. Thus, each of the container constructions used in the past have had at least one exposed raw edge into which water an other debris could enter thereby weakening the bottom of the container. The above noted results have been found to be especially critical where the containers are constructed from corrugated paperboard which is the preferred material used in the container of the present invention. Accordingly, to overcome the problems attendant with the use of the corrugated paperboard returnable beverage cases of the prior art, the container of the present invention was designed and it includes a triple thick bottom construction having no exposed raw edges. In addition, the container of the present invention is also preferably constructed from Westvacos Cote-A-Cor 600" wax-impregnated, curtain coated paperboard described fully in the present assignees U.S. Pat. No. 2,982,333. Therefore, the mode of construction fully disclosed in the specification and drawing hereof, including the use of the preferred water resistant paperboard set forth above, provides a case which is superior to the containers disclosed by the prior art. In addition, the container of the present invention is set up from its flat blank configuration with only the manufactures joint being secured and without the need for additional staples, stitches or other fastening means. Hence the container of the invention is particularly useful under conditions where no assembly apparatus is available. Of course, because of the side wall strength of the container herein and its improved bottom construction, the container is particularly adapted for its intended use, i.e., the returnable beverage bottle industry. In this regard, the returnable beverage bottle case disclosed herein serves a distinct purpose in the current ecological emphasis on the reuse of our natural resources.

Accordingly, in order to carry out the foregoing objects and intentions, the invention herein comprises the features that are fully described and particularly pointed out in the following detailed description, the annexed drawing and the claims appended hereto.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank of material, preferably corrugated paperboard, from which the container of the present invention is constructed;

FIG. 2 is a view which illustrates in perspective a first step in the folding sequence for setting up the container of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view which shows a second step in the fabrication of the container of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view which illustrates a third step in the folding sequence for setting up the container of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view which shows the final folding step in the formation of the triple thick bottom walls of the container of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view which shows the final folding step required for forming the double thick side walls of the container of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a view which shows the final folding step for forming the triple thick end walls of the container of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a view which shows in perspective a completely folded container; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the lines 9-9 of FIG. 8 showing the arrangement of the triple thick bottom construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in more detail to the drawing, wherein like parts are indicated in each view by like reference inumerals, FIG. 1 is seen to illustrate a substantially rectangularly shaped blank of corrugated paperboard that is cut and scored to provide the different flaps and panels necessary for forming the container of the present invention. The preferred direction for the corrugations in the corrugated paperboard blank used is indicated by the arrow on panel 10 of FIG. I, and as stated hereinbefore, the material from which the blank is formed is-preferably prepared as described in the assignees prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,982,333 to make the blank material substantially waterproof. Thus, the blank of FIG. 1 consists of a central portion defined by the primary container side wall panels 10, 12, 14, and 16, which are separated from one another by the parallel spaced apart fold lines l1, l3, and 15. In addition, attached to side wall panel along a second parallel fold line 19 is a container closure flap 18 which forms the manufacturers joint of the container. Each of the panels 10 and 14 ultimately form a pair of opposed end walls for the container. In a similar manner, each of the primary end wall panels 12 and 16 have a pair of second end wall panels 29, 31 respectively, attached to an upper edge thereof along a pair of closely spaced parallel fold lines 22, 23.

Of course, each secondary end wall panel 29, 31 also includes a pair of hand hole cut outs 32, 33 respectively, which are reversely cut from the hand hole cut outs 20, 21 in panels 12 and 16 so that when the secondary end wall panels 29, 31 are folded over about the spaced parallel fold lines 22, 23 hand hole cut outs and 32, and 21 and 31 are matched and properly aligned. Meanwhile, at the lower end of each of the panels 12 and 16 on the blank of FIG. 1 there is located the third end wall panels 43 and 48 which are separated from the panels 12 and 16 by a pair of cut lines 26, 27. Each of the third end wall panels also contain hand hole cut outs 34, 35 which are arranged and located in their respective panels so that they become matched and aligned with the hand hole cut outs 20, 32 and 21, 33 when the container is erected. In order to accomplish the above purpose, the third end wall panels 43 and 48 are foldably attached to the primary bottom panel 44 of the container in the blank structure of FIG. 1. In this regard, the end wall panel 43 is attached to the bottom panel 44 along a fold line 49 that is offset slightly from the fold line 13 connecting panels 12 and 14 together. The offset orientation of the fold line 49 is provided both for the purpose of achieving a jammed or friction fit between the different panels as they are folded and because the corrugated paperboard material from which the blank is formed has a decided thickness which must be accomodated when multiple panels are folded adjacent one another. Similarly, the end wall panel 48 is connected to the bottom panel 44 by a pair of closely spaced parallel fold lines 50 which are substantially coterminous with the fold line 15 which connects the panels 14 and 16 to one another. For this purpose of providing proper drainage of any liquids from the container, each of the end wall panels contain drain openings 37, 36 and 38 located in primary panels 12, 16, secondary panels 29, 31 and third panels 43, 48 which are located and arranged to coincide with one another when the container is formed from the blank.

Further attention to the blank of FIG. 1 will show that the primary bottom panel 44 has attached to the free edge thereof, along a pair of closely spaced parallel fold lines 46, 47, an abbreviated intermediate bottom flap 45 which in the folded condition of the container forms a portion of the secondary panel of the container bottom. Meanwhile, the primary bottom panel 44 is attached to the side wall 14 along a fold line that is slightly off set from the cut lines 26, 27 and at the top of side wall 14, a secondary side wall is attached thereto along the previously mentioned parallel fold lines 22, 23. At the left side of the blank of FIG. 1, the container components consist of a third bottom panel 39 attached to the side wall 10 along a fold line 24 that is substantially coterminous with the fold line 25 and a secondary side wall 28 attached at the top of the side wall 10 along the fold lines 22, 23. And finally, the third bottom panel 39 has attached along its lower free edge a second abbreviated intermediate bottom flap 40 which in the folded condition of the container abuts against the end of the first intermediate bottom flap 45 to form the secondary panel of the container bottom. As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the connection 41 between the bottom panel 39 and the flap 40 consists of a pair of slit scores on the inside of the blank which arrangement assures that there will be no exposed edges of paperboard in the bottom of the container. Lastly, it will be noted in FIG. 1 that the blank structure includes a cut out 42 along the connection 41 between panel 39 and flap 40 and a series of notches 51 in the upper free edges of the panels 28, 29, 30, and 31. Each of these openings and notches are provided for use as finger holes in setting up and knocking down the container.

The method and steps in the folding sequence for setting up the container from the blank of FIG. 1 is shown in detail in FIGS. 2-7. In its preferred form, the manufactures joint 18 is secured to the side wall panel 16 either by stitching, taping or stapling when the blank is prepared and the pre-formed container is then shipped to the user in a folded flat condition. In some instances however, the blank is shipped directly to the user who then secures the manufacturers joint on his own machinery. However, assuming the manufacturers joint has been secured, the container is initially squared and placed on its side with the side wall panel 14 down as shown in FIG. 2. Subsequently, abbreviated flap 45 is folded over to be adjacent to the bottom panel 44 and the secondary end wall panels 43, 48 are folded over and on top of the flap 45 and 44. Meanwhile, the third bottom panel 39 and its attached second abbreviated flap 40 are folded inside the container adjacent the side wall 10 substantially as shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom panel 44 with its folded over flap 45 and end walls 43, 48 is folded to enclose the bottom of the container and the then partially formed container is rotated through degrees to rest on its bottom. At this point (FIG. 5) the secondary end wall panels 43, 48 are folded up to be adjacent to primary end wall panels 12, 16 respectively, and the novel bottom of the container herein is ready for its final stages of completion. Thus in order to prepare the triple thick bottom of the container, the abbreviated flap 40 is folded downwardly about the cut and hinged connection at 41 to lie against the third bottom panel 39 and subsequently the paired panel 39 and flap 40 is folded downwardly once again about the fold line 24 to bring the free end of flap 40 into abutting relation with the free end of flap 45. In this manner the triple thick bottom section consists of the primary bottom panel 44, a secondary bottom panel formed by the two abbreviated flaps 40 and 45 in abutting relation and the third bottom panel 39. Obviously this construction yields a bottom having no exposed fluted edges since the corrugations are perpendicular to the fold lines 24, 41, 25 and 46, 47 and because the only two fluted edges in the bottom construction are those of flaps 40 and 45 which are abutting one another and remain sandwiched between the two full sized bottom walls 39, 44. Of course, in the final assembly steps for setting up the container of the invention, the secondary side wall panels 28 and 30 are folded over and downwardly as jected to the weight of the container and contents.

Accordingly, as may be seen particularly from a review of FIGS. 5-9, the container when finally folded and assembled provides a construction having unusual rigidity and resistance to compressive loads, resistance to deterioration from exposure to the elements and an increased bottom holding capability not achieved by the prior art containers. The above noted features are achieved by the container of the invention partly because of the double thick side walls and triple thick end walls which afford the strength and bulge resistant characteristics necessary in container constructions of the type intended, and partly because of the material of construction and the novel triple thick bottom arrangement as shown in H6. 9 which has no exposed fluted edges to permit wicking of moisture or other foreign matter. The container of the present invention is further advantageously characterized by its ease of assembly using no staples, stitches or other assembly devices on the main panels of the container which affords significant reductions in assembly time and costs.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that although the specification and drawing describe only a single embodiment of the container of the present invention, containers of varying shape and different cross sectional dimensions could readily be assembled in accordance with the principles of the invention. Therefore, all of the descriptive material set forth hereinbefore should be interpreted only as illustrative of a preferred embodiment and the invention should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A returnable beverage case folded from a single blank of corrugated paperboard and having an open top comprising:

a. a pair of primary side walls and a pair of primary end walls connected together at their adjacent edges and formed into a rectangle with the side walls and end walls respectively opposite one another;

b. a pair of secondary side walls folded to lie adjacent the primary side walls to form two-ply side walls;

c. a pair of secondary end walls and a pair of third end walls folded to lie adjacent the primary end walls to form three-ply end walls; and,

d. a three-ply bottom wall consisting of a full-sized primary bottom wall and a full-sized third bottom wall folded to lie adjacent one another with a pair of abbreviated secondary bottom flaps foldably attached to said primary and third bottom walls respectively and folded to lie intermediate the primary and third bottom walls with their free edges in abutting relation.

2. The returnable beverage case of claim 1 wherein the two secondary side walls are foldably connected to the upper edges of the two primary side walls and are folded downwardly into position adjacent the primary side walls, the two secondary end walls are foldably connected to the upper edges of the two primary end walls and are folded downwardly into position adjacent the primary end walls, the two third end walls are foldably connected to the side edges of the primary bottom wall and are folded upwardly to lie between and adjacent to the primary and secondary end walls, and the first and third primary bottom walls are foldably attached to the lower edges of the primary side walls.

3. The returnable beverage case of claim 2 wherein the corrugated paperboard blank is treated to make it substantially waterproof.

4. A single blank of corrugated paperboard of substantially rectangular configuration that is cut and scored for folding into a returnable beverage case, said blank comprising:

a. a central portion extending completely across the blank and having four parallel spaced apart transverse scores dividing the central portion into a manufacturers joint, a pair of primary side walls and a pair of primary end walls;

b. an upper portion separated from the central portion by a pair of closely spaced, parallel score lines, said upper portion further comprising four discreet panels which consist of a pair of secondary side walls and a pair of secondary end walls, and,

c. a lower portion separated from the central portion by alternating and substantially coextensive cut lines and score lines, said lower portion further comprising a primary bottom panel, a third bottom panel and a pair of third end walls, the improvement consisting of a pair of abbreviated intermediate bottom flaps foldably attached to each of the primary and third bottom panels. 

1. A returnable beverage case folded from a single blank of corrugated paperboard and having an open top comprising: a. a pair of primary side walls and a pair of primary end walls connected together at their adjacent edges and formed into a rectangle with the side walls and end walls respectively opposite one another; b. a pair of secondary side walls folded to lie adjacent the primary side walls to form two-ply side walls; c. a pair of secondary end walls and a pair of third end walls folded to lie adjacent the primary end walls to form three-ply end walls; and, d. a three-ply bottom wall consisting of a full-sized primary bottom wall and a full-sized third bottom wall folded to lie adjacent one another with a pair of abbreviated secondary bottom flaps foldably attached to said primary and third bottom walls respectively and folded to lie intermediate the primary and third bottom walls with their free edges in abutting relation.
 2. The returnable beverage case of claim 1 wherein the two secondary side walls are foldably connected to the upper edges of the two primary side walls and are folded downwardly into position adjacent the primary side walls, the two secondary end walls are foldably connected to the upper edges of the two primary end walls and are folded downwardly into position adjacent the primary end walls, the two third end walls are foldably connected to the side edges of the primary bottom wall and are folded upwardly to lie between and adjacent to the primary and secondary end walls, and the first and third primary bottom walls are foldably attached to the lower edges of the primary side walls.
 3. The returnable beverage case of claim 2 wherein the corrugated paperboard blank is treated to make it substantially waterproof.
 4. A single blank of corrugated paperboard of substantially rectangular configuration that is cut and scored for folding into a returnable beverage case, said blank comprising: a. a central portion extending completely across the blank and having four parallel spaced apart transverse scores dividing the central portion into a manufacturers joint, a pair of primary side walls and a pair of primary end walls; b. an upper portion separated from the central portion by a pair of closely spaced, parallel score lines, said upper portion further comprising four discreet panels which consist of a pair of secondary side walls and a pair of secondary end walls, and, c. a lower portion separated from the central portion by alternating and substantially coextensive cut lines and score lines, said lower portion further comprising a primary bottom panel, a third bottom panel and a pair of third end walls, the improvement consisting of a pair of abbreviated intermediate bottom flaps foldably attached to each of the primary and third bottom panels. 